Spiked footwear cleaner



May 14, 1963 V G. w. WALDEN 3,089,172

SPIKED FOOTWEAR CLEANER Filed Jan. 50, 1961 INVENTOR. GARY W. WALDEN ATTORNEY United States Patent Ohio This invention relates to footwear and, more particularly, to means for cleaning mud and the like from the soles 'of footwear provided with spikes or cleats.

Footwear of this type is usually standard equipment for participation in certain sports like, for instance, golf. Such footwear improves traction and otherwise aids the balance and footing of a participant resulting in his achieving a better score. On dry ground, no difficulty with intended purposes is usually encountered. When climatic conditions, however, are such that the ground is made damp or soggy the effectiveness of the spiked footwear is reduced. This is due to the fact that mud and the like becomes caked to the soles of the footwear and, obviously, interferes with and otherwise hampers the comfort and skill of the wearer.

Since mud accumulated on spiked footwear cannot be easily dislodged by intentional sharp contact with a stone or other solid object, efforts have previously been made to provide tools and scrapers which will remove the mud. While these devices have been somewhat successful, most of them seem to concentrate on the theory that the whole sole of the spiked footwear must be scraped. As a result, the devices of the prior art are invariably made much too cumbersome for popular acceptance.

Obviously, footwear not having spiked soles do not gather mud. This fact, therefore, would indicate that if spikes were kept clean or if mud were removed from the spikes the mud between the spikes would have nothing to adhere to and would either fall or be easily shaken to the ground. A device which would work to remove rnud from the spikes and, thereby, from the soles of the footwear would be light in weight, small in size, economical to purchase, and easily carried in a pocket.

It is, therefore, the primary object of this invention to provide a cleaner for spiked footwear which is light, small, and economical.

A further object is to provide a cleaner for spiked footwear which would easily and effectively dislodge mud and the like from around the spike.

Another object of this invention is to provide such a device which is not dependent on a scraping action but, rather, on a rotational action induced by the simple twist of the wrist.

These and other objects will become more clear upon reading the following brief specification considered and interpreted in the light of the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of the novel cleaner.

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view.

'FIGURE 3 is a top view.

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view.

Referring now to the drawings, it will be seen that the novel cleaner comprises two main parts, a shaft .10 and a circular head 12. The head 12 is preferably, but not necessarily, at right angles to the shaft 10.

The shaft is of such a dimension as can easily be 3,089,172 Patented May 14, 1963 ice enclosed by the finger-s in a simple hand grip. This shaft may be bar or round shaped but, as illustrated, is preferably made in the configuration of a shoehorn so that the cleaner may be utilized for the obvious secondary function.

The circular head 12 has a central aperture 14 for engaging a spike or cleat in an encircling relationship for purposes which will hereinafter become evident. The head 12 is further provided with lugs 16 which extend radially with respect to the aperture 14 and are circumferentially spaced on the surface 18 of the head 51 2. Since the spikes on some footwear customarily have a rounded base portion in contact with the sole of the shoe, the lugs 16 may be complimentary contoured as shown at 20 to accommodate the base portion of a spike with greater effectiveness.

In use, the shaft .16 is taken in a simple hand grip. A spike (not shown) of the footwear is received through the aperture 14 to thereby bring the head 12 into encircling relationship with the spike. A simple twist of the hand will cause a rotational action to be imparted to the head 12 which will result in the lugs .16 thereon penetrating into the mud and the like around the spike and dislodging the mud from adherence to the spike. The radial slots 22 adjacent each lug .16 provide openings through which a portion of the scraped mud will escape. The same operation is applied to other spikes on the shoe which may have mud on them and the whole sole of the shoe may be cleaned as quickly as the user can twist his wrist. Any mud remaining in areas between the spikes will either fall off or be easily dislodged by shaking the foot.

To permit economy of manufacture, the shaft 10 and the circular head 12 are shown as being integral. This invention, however, recognizes that each of these parts may be made separate and connected together by welding or bolting. Further, as will be readily apparent, in the manufacture of the cleaner the size of the aperture 14 therein may be varied to correspond to the diameter of a particular spike or cleat, if desired.

There has been shown, then, a cleaner for spiked or cleated footwear which is not only small, light, and economical but also effective to dislodge mud clinging to a cleat.

While a full .and complete description of the invention has been set forth, it is to be understood that the invention is not intended to be so limited. Accordingly, modifications may be resorted to without departing from the spirit hereof within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A device for removing mud from the soles of spiked footwear, comprising; a shaft; a circular head angularly disposed with respect to said shaft; said circular head being centrally apertured for encircling a spike; and lugs on said head for dislod'ging mud clinging to a spike.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said lugs are radially extending and circumferentially spaced on said head.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein said shaft is in the configuration of a shoehorn.

4. A device for removing mud from the soles of spiked footwear, comprising; a shaft having the configuration of a shoehorn; a circular head disposed at right angles to said shaft and being integral therewith; said head being centrally apertured for encircling a spike; and radially ex- 3 tending circumfercntially spaced lugs on said head for dislodging mud clinging to a spike.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein said lugs are contoured to accommodate the rounded base portion of a cleat.

6. The device of claim 4 wherein radial slots adjacent each said lug provide escape means for mud.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,450,116 Ruhlandt Mar. 27, 1923 Grigalunas Feb. 15, 1949 Sullins July 24, 1951 Harder Mar. 2, 1954 Neuman Oct. 2, 1956 South Oct. 28, 1958 Ranseen Dec. 30, 1958 Snow et -a1. Apr. 25, 1961 Dohre June 27, 196 1 FOREIGN PATENTS Austria July 25, 1911 

1. A DEVICE FOR REMOVING MUD FROM THE SOLES OF SPIKED FOOT WEAR, COMPRISING; A SHAFT; A CIRCULAR HEAD ANGULARLY DISPOSED WITH RESPECT TO SAID SHAFT; SAID CIRCULAR HEAD BEING CENTRALLY APERTURED FOR ENCIRCLING A SPIKE; AND LUGS ON SAID HEAD FOR DISLODGING MUD CLINGING TO A SPIKE. 